Arber Fetahu traveled to Missouri State from Prishtina, Kosovo, for the Master of Global Studies program – now named International Affairs.

After completing his political science undergraduate degree in his home country, Fetahu applied for a scholarship from the United States Agency for International Development.  

He received the scholarship and was able to choose between two U.S. universities for graduate school. After some research, he chose the MGS program at MSU because it fit his interests in international politics and international studies.  

“I decided to choose Missouri State because the classes looked very cool – as well as the professors and the campus,” Fetahu said.  

That decision framed the next few years. He had such a good time in the program, the two years seemed to go by too quickly, he said.  

“It was fast! When you’re having fun, time flies, as the saying goes,” Fetahu said.  

Seeking a quality education  

In Kosovo, the educational system has a lower quality of resources, he said. As an international student, positive interactions with MSU professors and advisors were a big help.  

What he enjoyed most about the MGS program was the correlation between the environment, the curriculum and the professors. 

“I liked everything about the MGS program,” Fetahu said. “What I liked the best was the curriculum, the classes overall, how the program was structured. It touched on the politics of all the regions of the world. The professors were very nice, very prepared, very proactive and very inspiring to me.”  

Exploring top level jobs 

Fetahu graduated from the global studies program in 2018. Upon his return to Prishtina, he was offered a job equivalent to a U.S. cabinet member.  

Due to other plans, he turned down the offer to become political advisor to the deputy prime minister of Kosovo.   

“After coming back from MSU, I had more opportunities to pick and choose, and to negotiate to see where I wanted to be,” Fetahu said. 

As he sought the best work, Fetahu held positions as director of communications at University of Prishtina Venture Incubator. He also worked on projects at the Research Institute for Development and European Affairs.  

Five star skills  

Currently, Fetahu works at the Group for Legal and Political Studies think tank in Kosovo as a research fellow and project manager.  

“I deal with the research – mainly international politics in the state building, in the international relations domain,” Fetahu said. “Also, I manage a project within the think tank. It’s a pretty cool job for me because I get to keep in touch with the things I’ve studied.” 

The writing, presenting and critical thinking skills he gained from the MGS program are ones he applies to work daily, he said. The Kosovo government also seeks his expertise to speak in the media regarding international politics and international relations.  

“Mainly due to my degree, they are seeking me to speak,” Fetahu said. “They call me because I have a master’s of global studies degree, and I know more about international issues.”  

He highly recommends the program to anyone who may be interested in political science or curious about international relations.  

“For those who have not applied for the MGS program, do it. You will get a great academic experience with very good professors who have knowledge, experience, skills and a lot of practical experience they can bring to the class.”

Explore the international affairs program at Missouri State